I am a Pennsylvania librarian – but I do a ton of work in New Jersey and work very closely with NJ librarians and it is for this reason that I feel a need to spread the word of some very bad news NJ received yesterday. First, the announcement (links added by me):

TO: Library Directors
FROM: Norma E. Blake, State Librarian
SUBJECT: 2011 Budget
DATE: March 17, 2010

Yesterday we became aware through Treasury budget documents that it is proposed that Thomas Edison State College and the New Jersey State Library will be merged with the New Jersey State Museum and governed by Rutgers University starting July 1, 2010.

In addition:

• Libraries lost $1.449 million (all) of NJKI (databases including RefUSA, Business Source Premiere, and Academic Search Premiere).

• $4.299 million (all) in Network Aid (including Regions and Statewide Services, such as delivery, databases, interlibrary loan and continuing education.)
• $1.170 million (all) in virtual aid (databases and the public library JerseyConnect Technology System).
• $3.5 million in Per Capita State Aid (leaving $3.676 million)
• Libraries have lost 74% in library program funding from the FY 2010 appropriation which is unprecedented and disproportionate to other Departments’ losses.

If these cuts remain once the budget is passed in June, an unintended consequence would be the loss of $4.5 million in federal funds. Also, if the cut to JerseyConnect is maintained, the State Library cannot accept the $7.5 million Broadband funds if awarded by NJIA.

The State Library is talking to the New Jersey Library Association about our concerns regarding the loss of federal money and services to libraries like delivery, databases, interlibrary loan, Per Capita State Aid and JerseyConnect.

We will communicate again with you as soon as we know what action is needed.

There are so many areas of this I can focus on, but I want to bring one thing to everyone’s attention that may not be clear. In the announcement there is a mention to the cuts in ‘Regions.’ What does this mean? NJ has these awesome cooperatives for the four regions in the state. Each of these groups offers services to libraries like cooperative buying benefits and professional development. This is something we don’t have in PA, and something I always talk about when mentioning continuing education for librarians.

One of the complaints I have about librarianship is that it’s a profession without required continuing ed. For a lawyer to stay licensed he has to attend classes and stay up to things, the same with accountants, insurance salespeople, etc – why not librarians. That said, NJ was offering free and low cost continuing ed to their librarians and that made me so proud – both of the state and of the librarians who attended these classes even though they weren’t required.

Now, the state is looking at cutting all of these programs. So not only are they hurting their community by limiting the resources libraries can offer they are also stunting the education available to their librarians … seems like a lose lose situation for NJ citizens and librarians alike.

This is a story I’ll be keeping an eye on and one that I hope resolves itself in a way that doesn’t hurt so many New Jersey residents.

This morning while I was training librarians on how to use Koha, libraries were featured on the Today Show. If you missed it too – you can view it here:

I’m still catching up on emails from being away so I missed my invite to In the Library with the Lead Pipe until just now.

We are six librarians working in academic, public, and school libraries across the United States. In addition to essays by its founders, In the Library with the Lead Pipe will feature articles by guests representing special libraries and archives, as well as educators, administrators, library support staff, and community members. If you want to submit a guest post, see our submission guidelines.

In the Library with the Lead Pipe is intended to help improve our communities, our libraries, and our professional organizations. Our goal is to explore new ideas and start conversations; to document our concerns and argue for solutions. Each article is peer-reviewed by at least one external and one internal reviewer.

What a neat idea. I’ll be poking around as I have time.

I just finished watching this short news clip – while I’m happy to see the focus on libraries, I don’t think it remotely touched on how much value you can find in libraries – maybe I’m just biased

Thank you Curtis for pointing this out.

This from Rachel Singer Gordon. I’m no artist … but you may be:

LISjobs.com is seeking submissions for a new logo that reflects its mission of job hunting and career development for librarians and info pros. This logo will be featured on the upcoming redesign of the LISjobs.com website, as well as in additional print and online materials.

Guidelines:

Please keep the design in a landscape (wider than it is tall) format, and use lighter colors to help it stand out against the redesigned site. While creating your design, keep in mind that the new LISjobs.com expands coverage of career development and library education issues, serving all stages of info pros’ career cycle. I’m seeking a logo that best represents that mission.

Please submit your design as a .jpg file to rachel@lisjobs.com by Monday, July 7. If your design is chosen, please be prepared to submit a high-quality Illustrator (.eps) or Photoshop (.psd) graphic (vector preferred).

If your design is chosen, you affirm that you will transfer all rights over to Rachel Singer Gordon/LISjobs.com. By submitting a logo design, you affirm that you are its creator and have not used others’ protected work in its design. You will be credited on the LISjobs.com website as the logo designer, with a link back to your own web presence if desired. You will also receive a free resume posting on LISjobs.com (lifetime, or as long as I still offer this service) as well as an autographed copy of What’s the Alternative: Career Options for Librarians and Info Pros (ITI, 2008).

The winning design will be chosen by Rachel Singer Gordon. If no design is selected, there may be no winner of this contest, and LISjobs.com may stick with its old logo.